UPDATE: 27/1/08

For the good of everyone concerned... XD

This 'fic is:

On Permanent Hiatus

In the State of Permanent Incompleteness

Forever.

(... well, THAT was a load of cheese.)

Hiya… this is my second Naruto fanfic story posted here…. Umm, please note that I am only up to the Chuunin exams in Naruto. Hopefully that makes some sense to you. If it doesn't, don't worry.

Note that because of the former reason I may not have all the characters REALLY in character but I'm trying- I've done research! The time in which the story is set in the Naruto 2 Arc…

Um… The Rookie 9 are all around 15, Team Gai 16, Gaara 15, Kankuro 16, temari 17…

Yeah! Let's go!

Oh! Wait. There are some pairings in this but they're more canon. You can spot them if you want to, but it's not that obvious anyhow. Later on, the pairings may come more into the story. And the parings are…

ShikaIno, SasuSaku, NaruHina, NejiTen.

ShikaTem, KibaHina, The latter are MAYBES.

So read on… And hopefully enjoy!

Shipwreck Chapter 1

The Storm

The once clear blue sky was now rapidly turning dark, as storm clouds approaching from the horizon approached the ship.

"Damn…"

Even as the first rain drops touched her forehead Temari knew she'd have to go inside. This was only quiet place on board the boat that she'd been able to clean her fan for a while but now she'd have to find another quiet place- which was a difficult and arduous task on this boat. An A-Rank Mission for any ninja.

It wasn't hard to believe either- with Naruto and that weird bushy-eyebrowed ninja running amok in the ship, things were bound to get noisy. She had been locked out of her cabin because this dog ninja somehow decide to put his life on the line and lock her cabin door, and chuck her key into the ocean. Sadly, that dog boy could not be found and for sake of note destroying the ship, the Sand nin couldn't use her jutsus.

The kunoichi wished she had never been assigned for the mission in the first place. Being born and bred in the middle of a desert where water was precious and scarce, the sea seemed a little too… amazing for her.

The mission. To escort a highly reputable noble to another country which lay across the sea. Temari scowled slightly as she glanced at the man whom they were meant to guard. An overweight, unintelligent, annoying, man who seemed to way more make up then all the women on the ship put together… Which was actually really quite disturbing.

The number of ninja chosen to for the escort mission was huge… Fifteen of them to protect one fat man. It was aggravating, a total waste of talent and time, but worst of all there was no way out. Tsundae, the current Hokage of Hidden Leaf Village had told them when assigning them all their mission that even though the man they were escorting was an idiot it had to be done for good relations.

A grimace made its way to Temari's face. Good relations. Though she was working as some sort of peace coordinator between her home village an Konoha, she had no idea what that kind of 'good relations' could actually mean… Even Gaara somehow had to come on this mission… His was the kazekage even! Fifteen shinobi. She, Gaara, Kankurou, and twelve other ninja for Konoha that they had met during their first chuunin exams were also in the team. Irratating but interesting...

More raindrops pittered pattered down on her, snapping the kunoichi out of her thoughts. Temari cursed again and snapped her fan shut. If she was going to muse and think to herself any longer, her fan would most definitely be ruined in the rain. Chucking cleaning utensils into a small pack, she hurried through the doors into the ship. Glancing back outside, she noticed the storm clouds rapidly approaching- and was that…A crackle of thunder she heard? Temari shrugged and closed the door behind her. She was just glad to get out of the rain.

--

Ten metal stars were all perfectly embedded into ten targets allotted along the wall. Ten out of ten. Of course, that was expected- if even one missed by a millimeter there would be something wrong with her. Tenten smiled. She had come here just a few minutes ago to just train a little and whittle down time. She didn't like the mission of escorting this plump man but…

The weapons master gazed around in the training room she was in. The boat was reasonably big. Actually, it was huge, it was the biggest boat she had ever seen, let alone been on. A big kitchen, eating area, large bedrooms for fifteen ninja, showers, bathrooms… The ship seemed like a floating mansion. If escorting people back and forth across the sea was a mission while enjoying the luxuries of the rich that would be fine with her.

It wasn't much of a challenge though, or an adventure. She did not like the person they were meant to guard but it was a mission. The kunoichi threw another ten shuriken at another ten targets that had been previously set up for her by the ship staff.

Another ten out of ten… Tenten let another group of metal stars fly. The kunoichi didn't look to see if they had missed- she already knew. Instead, she was already on to throwing weapons at the next ten targets... And the next... And the next... Tenten began to pick up the pace, throwing her weapons faster and faster while also finding enough time to use chakra strings to get the thrown shuriken back and have a never ending supply.

She probably would've gone on forever in this fashion but a footstep alerted her of an intruder. Whirling around,Tenten drew out a kunai, ready for battle. Who was it that dared to- Oh wait. It was only him. Tenten smiled and dropped her battle stance, flicking her kunai back into its holster with ease.

"Here for a spar?"

"Yes…if you're done with that…"

The Hyuuga heir flicked his eyes briefly towards the shuriken embedded into the targets.

"Anytime Neji." the weapon's specialist complimented the words with a bright smile on her face.

Veins popped out of the side of Neji's forehead as he activated his byukugen. Taking a few steps backwards, the shinobi adopteda battle stance and waited for his team mate. The weapons master responded readilywith a flurry of shuriken. But they never hit their target- they were merely hurled back at Tenten. Somehow, somehow strangely and weirdly a small tiny smile made its way to Tenten's mouth. There was some kind of pleasure she took in helping him improve his skills. She had never yet won a spar with him- but somehow she didn't mind. As if, losing meant nothing to her…

Tenten snapped out of her thoughts as she saw Neji rushing towards her. That wasn't good. Her tenkutsu points couldn't be closed this soon! Leaping into the air, the brown haired kunoichi released two scrolls which held enough weapons for a small army. Time to see if her Twin Rising Dragons could penetrate Neji's already impenetrable defense. Flinging every weapon she could lay her hands on, she didn't even look shocked or surprised when every one of them was deflected.

She guessed that both of them had always improved from these spars, though Neji, being a prodigy, as many would call him, was still ahead of her. And would probably still always be ahead of her. There was a sudden pang inside of her. Was she always to be in the shadows while her teammates, both considered geniuses in their rights, grew stronger and stronger? She lost concentration of the battle for a moment, confused. She had never really felt this feeling before… Usually seeing Lee and Neji accomplish more and more complicated and powerful jutsu, she was half mad with joy for them…But now, it felt like she was jealous.

Tenten cursed as she saw that Neji was just upon her, his right hand aiming for her arm. What was wrong with her today? She should keep her focus… Jumping back a few more meters, the ninja flung a shuriken at her opponent, causing Neji to jump back a couple of meters and jump to the side to avoid the weapons.

Rapidly growing with anger at herself, for not concentrating on the spar before her, Tenten started to fling more and more shuriken at Neji. The pang of whatever feeling it was had long left her and she felt nothing but excitement as she threw more and more silver stars.

Suddenly, there was a massive jolt. Tenten was flung against a wall brutally. Out of the corner of her eye she saw blood. Blood oozing out of Neji's right shoulder from a shuriken wound. Jumping up and calling apologies and concerns to her white-eyed teammate, the kunoichi grabbed bandages from her pack.

While she half rejoiced that she had actually managed to hit Neji, those rejoicings were stopped by her guilt that she was happy that she hurt her teammate and that she knew it was probably impossible to hit Neji. It was that-

Tenten felt herself pushed left by a sudden…Jolt. As she fell towards the ground, Tenten landed on her feet and rushed faster towards Neji who was trying to get up. She was nearly there…

"Faster! Faster!" she chanted in her brain, but she never reached him. For just as she knelt beside him, there was another jolt, and Tenten's world plummeted into darkness as she slammed into the far wall of the room.

--

Water. Water was everywhere. He was surrounded by it. He was in it. He was drowning in it. The shinobi suddenly realising what was happening, choked for air and swam up to the ceiling of the room where a small pocket of air was floating. Bursting out of the water, Sasuke, breathed heavily. What the hell was happening? He had been lying on his bed one minute, choking and gasping the next. Glancing down through the water at his submerged room, the ninja took a deep breathe of air and went down.

The boat was sinking. That he knew but he had no idea how long until the boat took until it sank fully into the sea. He wasn't waiting for that to happen. He wasn't going to die in a shipwreck like this. It didn't even seem honorable... Sasuke kept swimming down and down till he reached his bed. Grabbing his forehead protector, the ninja looked around quickly. If he were actually to get out of here, and even survive, he'd need things. Tying the protector around his forehead, Sasuke felt the oxygen in his lungs rapidly becoming less and less.

Frantic, he grabbed his pack, and hoisting it onto his shoulders, swam back up to the air pocket. Just his luck. Just after he had swallowed a few breathes of air, he felt the waterrise upto just under his chin.Taking another deep breath, Sasuke dived down again. The door. The way to get out of this nightmare.The ninja paddled furiously towards it and yanked it open. Right. That step was done.Where to next? Out. Out of here. Somewhere with lots of air, somewher-

Opposite his cabin, was of course Sakura's cabin. Whether it be by luck or that the pink haired kunoichi had managed to bribe someone, Haruno Sakura had somehow managed to get a cabin opposite to his.

He remembered that she was beaming when they had all found out where their cabins were. The ninja peeked in the door and was horrified to see her floating in the water, appearing to be asleep. This could not happen! How did you sleep while being surrounded by water? That was just too too wrong... But even as Sasuke swam into the room, deciding mainly on impusle to get Sakura out of there, something held him back. His air was running out. He didn't have enough time to go get Sakura with his remaining air and just survive.

And the more time he spent contemplating about it, the less air he had. His eyes narrowed.A good chance of drowning by attempting to save her or a less chance of drowning by just leaving her there... Besides that, she was just an annoying fan girl that somehow managed to get put on his genin team. He didn't have time for people like her. He couldn't die here for some pink haired brat. He was an avenger, his purpose in like to avenge his family and nothing else. Besides, he hardly knew her anymore. After he left to Orochimaru, any relationship they had faded away.

So why was he finding himself slinging Sakura over his shoulder and swimming out of the room? He had no idea why. Maybe it was because he didn't want her death on his conscience, maybe he had the slightest bit of feeling for her…

But the Uchiha heir didn't spend any more time pondering those thoughts. Where was he to go now? But, there was something very odd about all this. There was something that felt peculiar about the water… There was something strange about the way that air bubbles from his mouth came out… The air bubbles were going out of his mouth sideways… Not up like they normally would but sideways… What was going on?

It hit him. The boat had been turned over sideways, and was sinking sideways. So to get out… Sasuke headed back to Sakura's room. Grabbing what looked like Sakura's bag that she took for missions, he swam towards the wall, and pummeled on the window.

It took seconds, which seemed like more minutesto Sasuke forthe glass to break, and shielding his face, with his arm, the ninja swam out into the opensea. No more air…

His body needed air. desperately.NO! He had to keep swimming. He was going to make it, who cared about his damn body when he could live. Up, up up… He was drowning, he was drowsy… He could let it all go… Just rest for a minute, let the water comfort you, pull you down and let you rest forever of the sea bed… NO!

Sasuke swam furiously; he was going to make it. HE and Sakura were going to make it. Up, up, up! The air was running out, water was entering his system; his eyes were closing but…He couldn't. Both of them couldn't die here. After going all the way back to save her… His efforts were not going to be in…vain.

Air. He had made it. He had made it to the surface. Never had air tasted sweeter or felt better in his whole life. Never had he known how thankful he was for each tiny breathe of air. Even which lightning flashing overhead and rain drenching his skin and hair, air had never been so precious. But, he couldn't stay here…

He had to go somewhere… But where… In the deep and seemingly endless ocean, with rain pelting down on your back, and with cold and tiredness setting into your body, most would want to and would give up. But not Sasuke. He was a prodigy, a genius. Maybe it was because of his intense will to survive and avenge his family, maybe it was because that he was finally experiencing to be totally responsible for the life of another person… Maybe even a precious person…

He was not going to die here. And neither was Sakura. With a mental command to his body, Sasuke started to swim towards the horizon. They were going to make it.

--

The lightning flashed and the thunder roared. The rain poured down like there was no tommorow and everywhere you looked, anything you saw, anything you felt or touched… Everything was drenched. Wet. Water was everywhere. Aburame Shino did not like water. The insects that he had always lived with and known for his entire life did not like water. Thus, he did not like water. It was only logical. But storms were not logical. They tended to be more on the illogical side. And unfortunately, he was caught in one.

The shinobi stood still for a moment. As he stood and made a plan. The boat was definitely sinking upside down. He was alone, up on deck. From what he could see, the ship had run into some rocks… And to the east… Was that an island?

It wasn't even that far off… But, he was not going to swim. He was able to, but he wouldn't. Even if his life was at stake, swimming for beneath him- Aburame Shino that is.Wiping raindrops of his sun glasses, the shinobi gazed around the chaos. Strangely, there wasn't a person on deck… Hinata and Kiba… Where were they? In the distance, he saw a person swimming with another person on his or her back… That wouldn't be Hinata and Kiba. Akamaru would be with them. But a sudden jolt caused the ninja to delete all thoughts of going after his old team mates from his mind.

It was impossible, as much as he hated to admit it… The ship was huge and even if heturn back and head into the ship to search for his team mates... Shino knew that he would definitely die. Swallowing, the shinobi drew out a kunai and inone swift motion,sliced through a rope that held still a life raft.

Another swift motion and a splash was heard as the life raft hit the water below. In another second, Shino was on that raft, and he began to row. Aburame Shino was not what you call a shinobi who relied on his physical strength… The ninja rather relied on his insects and his brain to get him out of situations. Except that in this situation…. A set of strong untiring arms would help. Especially in rowing the life raft. The insects that he had known throughout his life fled for cover into his body, desperately wanting to avoid the rain. It was hard work rowing the raft. Tiring work.

In fact, it was hard to believe he was getting anywhere… The island only seemed to be getting closer at a very slow pace. Shino adjusted his glasses before starting again. It was the only way he could think of and the only way he was stuck with... After a while, his rowing began o turn into a pattern, something he couldn't stop. He just kept rowing and rowing… He wanted to rest but his arms kept rowing. He wanted to stop but his arms kept rowing. It was almost scary, but Shino didn't care.

He was almost at the island.

That was... Hopefully okay. Please Read and Review... Otherwise I'll probably leave this in a little dark cupboard and forget about it! Heh heh...

-StarDragon X